Strategic Planning Committee
December 4, 2008
West Side/West Suburban Service Plan
Purpose of Sub-Regional Study
- Increase ridership and customer satisfaction
- Improve service in the West Side/West Suburban region
- Improve travel times with the introduction of express routes and more direct service
- Establish connections to traffic generators
- Strengthen overall transit network
West Side Study Area Services
Bus Routes:
#7 Harrison
#X9 Ashland Express
#11 Lincoln/Sedgwick (#37 Sedgwick/Ogden)
#12 Roosevelt
#X20 Washington/Madison Express
#21 Cermak (#25 West Cermak)
#38 Ogden/Taylor
#52 Kedzie/California
#52A South Kedzie
#X54 Cicero Express
#60 Blue Island/26th
#65 Grand
#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland
#90 Harlem
#91 Austin
#127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator
Rail Lines:
Pink Line & 54th/Cermak Blue Line
Forest Park Blue Line
Green Line
#7 Harrison
- Modification: Service operates to Polk Pink Line Station
- Weekday evening hours extended to 10 pm
- Ridership increased by 31% to 8,600/day
(Map shows that route now diverts from Harrison between Wood and Ashland to Polk station via Wood, Polk, and Paulina)
#X9 Ashland Express
- New bus route
- Improved travel times and connections to employment centers
- Ridership increased by 12% to 36,200/day
- Second busiest corridor in CTA system
(Map shows current routing)
#38 Ogden/Taylor
- Modification: The #37 Sedgwick/Ogden was split into two routes
- #37 Sedgwick
- #38 Ogden/Taylor
- #38 Ogden/Taylor operated from west Loop to Pulaski Pink Line Station
- In June ‘08, route was modified to operate from west Loop to Mt. Sinai. Midday service added
- Ridership increased by 92% to 3,000/day (2006-2008)
(Maps show previous #37 routing and current #38 routing, and notes "Portions of previous routing were combined with #11 Lincoln/Sedgwick.")
#11 Lincoln/Sedgwick
- Modification: #11 Lincoln was combined with the #37 Sedgwick
- Initially operated to Clinton Blue Line during rush hours only
- Extended to Clinton Blue at all times on weekdays
- Ridership increased by 37% to 6,300/day (2006-2008)
(Maps note current routing and previous #11 and partial #37 routings before adjoinment.)
#127 Madison/Roosevelt Circulator
- New rush hour route tested as part of West Side experiment
- Ridership grew to about 2,000/day
- Analysis showed investment in #12 Roosevelt would better service customers
- Service eliminated in June 2008
(Map shows former routing)
#12 Roosevelt
- Modification: Frequency and reliability were improved
- Service hours from #127 Madison/ Roosevelt Circulator invested in #12 Roosevelt
- Ridership increased by 34% to 16,100/day
(Map shows current routing)
#X20 Washington/Madison Express
- New bus route
- Improved travel times in Washington/Warren corridor
- Local stops were added west of Central Park on Madison in June 2008
- Ridership increased by 4% to 26,200/day in the Madison corridor
(Maps show current and previous routings)
#21 Cermak
- Modification: Route extended to North Riverside Park Mall at all times
- Consolidated service with the #25 West Cermak
- Ridership increased by 38% to 10,000/day in the Cermak corridor
(Maps show current routing and previous #21 and #25 routings, highlighting all-times extension to North Riverside Park Mall at West end of route)
#52 Kedzie/California
- Modification: Route extended to 63rd Place at all times
- Busiest portion of Kedzie (63rd Street to the Orange Line) is supplemented with extension
- Ridership increased by 5% to 20,600/day in the Kedzie corridor (increase of 2,800 on #52)
(Maps show current and previous routing, highlighting all-times extension to 63rd Place)
#52A South Kedzie
- Modification: Route terminates at Kedzie Orange Line station at all times
- Improved travel in the corridor and efficiency on both #52 and #52A
- Ridership increased by 5% to 20,600/day in the Kedzie corridor (decrease of 1,800 on #52A)
(Maps show current and previous routing, highlighting area formerly served)
#X54 Cicero Express
- New bus route
- Improved travel times in Cicero corridor
- Improved connections to O’Hare and Midway airports for West Side customers
- Ridership increased by 37% to 17,400/day in the Cicero corridor
(Map shows current routing)
#60 Blue Island/26th
- Modification: Improved reliability
- Downtown operation returned to Washington from Monroe
- Ridership increased by 7% to 15,300/day
(Map shows current routing)
#65 Grand
- Modification: Service extended until 10 pm daily. Weekend frequency improved
- Improved late evening connections to employment centers
- Ridership increased by 11% to 8,000/day
(Map shows current routing)
#86 Narragansett/Ridgeland
- Modification: Service extended to Milwaukee and Imlay
- Connects west/ northwest side students to Wright College and Taft High School
- Ridership increased by 32% to 2,900/day
(Maps show current and previous routings)
#91 Austin
- Modification: Service operates to Jefferson Park Blue Line station at all times
- Provides consistent north terminal
- Ridership decreased by 1% to 10,000/day
(Maps show current and previous routings)
#90 Harlem
- Modification: Service extended to connect to Green Line
- Connects O’Hare Blue Line and Lake Street Green Line
- Provides connection to O’Hare Airport
- Ridership increased by 21% to 6,200/day
(Maps show current and previous routings)
Rail Service
- Implemented Pink Line with 54th/Cermak rush hour Blue Line service (June 2006)
- Increased frequency on Forest Park Blue Line (June 2006)
- Improved rush hour frequency on Green Line (March 2008)
- Discontinued 54th/Cermak Blue Line service (April 2008)
(Maps show current and previous routings)
Ridership Trends
October Ridership '05-'08
Bus Service:
14.9% West Side/West Suburban Bus routes
6.9% Non-West Side Bus Routes
Rail Service:
19.4% West Side/West Suburban Rail Routes
2.9% Non-West Side Rail Routes
Rail Branches:
27.0% Pink Line
21.0% Forest Park Blue Line
13.3% Lake Street Green Line
16.3% Near West Rail Stations
Survey Results and Feedback
- 80% of bus customers indicated they are satisfied with overall service
- Over 85% of rail customers indicated they are satisfied with overall service
- Over 90% of Pink Line customers indicated they are satisfied with service
Public Hearing and Community Input
- A public hearing was held November 13, 2008
- 34 persons attended
- 12 persons spoke
- 29 e-mails were received
- Some requests were made for return of Blue Line to 54th/Cermak
- Most comments were favorable
Summary: West Side/West Suburban Study
- Ridership has increased by 15% on bus routes
- Ridership has increased by 19% on rail lines
- Express routes additions were well received
- Local bus route changes have improved connectivity to rail lines
- Customer satisfaction is very high
- Public hearing and FTA analyses have been completed
- Staff recommends making changes permanent
West Side/West Suburban Service Plan
Sub-Regional Process
- Define a geographic area
- Collect and analyze data for study
- Develop draft and present public information
- Prepare final proposal based on public comment
- Obtain Board approval to implement 180-day experiment
- Monitor, Evaluate, Modify
- Public Hearing
- Board approval for permanent adoption
Rail Service
(Maps shown with current and previous routings)
Rail Line Changes
- Implemented Pink Line with Blue Line service to 54th/Cermak during rush hours (June 2006)
- Increased service on Forest Park Blue Line (June 2006)
- Improved rush hour frequency on Green Line (March 2008)
- Discontinued 54th/Cermak Blue Line service (April 2008)
Rail Line Ridership
- Pink Line has increased by 27% to 16,300/day
- Forest Park Blue Line has increased by 21% to 19,500/day
- Lake Street Green Line has increased by 13% to 21,100/day
- Near west side (Green/Pink/Blue) has increased by 16% to 19,900/day
- West Side rail ridership has increased by 19%
Rail ridership has increased by 3% for rest of system 05-08